Breaking Bullets
by Kannora Solaria
Summary: This is a Reader-Insert Fic! When your best friend  Alfred  goes off and joins the marines, you realize you can't let him go. So you pull a few strings, and tada! You're off to bootcamp! Crappy Summary is Crappy...  BTW!     Insert Your Name.
1. Prologue

You couldn't really feel your body, but at the same time you could. The unpleasant feeling of numbing cold was taking hold of your fingers...toes...various other parts of your body, and it seemed that an overwhelming burning was starting to center around your midsection.

You lolled your head upwards so that you were staring at the sun. It was very bright, but brought a sweet sense of safety to your mind, like when you were back home with your family, and your best friend.

The much-welcomed flashback of when you were a child took over your mind, and filled you with happiness, along with your highschool years; prom, skipping out of classes, ding dong ditching people, trick or treating (even though you had been far too old)...then along came the unwanted scene.

The day your best friend, Alfred, told you he was enlisting in the Marines. The familiar sense of fear suddenly gripped at your entire being, and a painful scream tore itself forth from the depths of your lungs, bringing you back to reality...fuzzy reality.

Slowly, slowly, slowly you crept your hand downwards to your stomach, just below your ribcage, and drew it to the front of your face, where a drop or two of red fell onto your cheek.

Your let your arm drop to your side with a dull thud. Cold had almost taken over now...the wonderful warmth called life seeping out through the bullethole in your flesh.

Stupid Alfred. It was all his fault.

(To Be Continued For Sure)

**Please review~~ But be nice, I'm not looking for critiques~**


	2. Chapter 1

You had to admit, you were damn excited right now. There was a cherry behind your school, and almost every couple from your classes had gotten together underneath it. But that wasn't why you were wearing a grin so large that it threatened to crack your face in half: no, you were so thrilled because your best friend iever/i, Alfred, who you'd had a crush on for several years/since you were nine, had asked you to meet him there after the day was over.

He said he had isomething he really needed to tell you./i

Did that scream 'I'm confessing' or what?

When the final bell rang, you were the first one out the door.

You ran out behind the building, and up to the magnificent pink tree to wait...only to find Al already there.

"Alfred Jones! How long have you been waiting! School's only been out for five minutes, and your classroom is father away from here than mine! Did you seriously skip class without me? Dude that's so not-" You stopped talking abruptly when you saw the expression he was wearing...an expression far too serious for most teenagers, especially him.

"I...said I needed to talk to you. I didn't know how to tell you sooner, and I really didn't want to leave it to the last minute...but I didn't want to hurt you..." He grasped your shoulders and pulled you into a hug.

" I'm going to Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, _...I had a deal with the Dean that if I kept my average above 95, then I'd graduate and get my bachelor's degree early."

You had stopped listening after the word Marine. For weeks you'd known something like this would happen. Alfred always talked about defending and fighting for his country, and whenever you used his computer, you'd find the internet open with a bunch of tabs on Marines.

But it didn't upset you any less.

You wriggled free of his grasp and turned away from him to hide the tears pooling in your eyes.

"_? A-are you alright?" He asked, and you let out a choked sob before running back into the school, out the front doors, and down to the bus stop.

When you got home, your father was reading the newspaper at the kitchen table, laughing at something your Mum had said.

You burst into the room as a teary mess, and dove into your Dad's arms.

"Sweetheart, what's the matter!" Your mother cried, rushing over to pet your hair. You shook uncontrollably while sleek, wet drops cascaded down your face.

"Al joined the Marines." You whispered, and two pairs of arms were wrapped firmly around you. Your parents knew of your love for the blond, and could only imagine the horror that had weaseled its way into your soul.

"Honey...he'll be perfectly fine! Alfred's a smart, strong young man!" Your Pa tried to soothe, and you buried your face in his shoulder.

"I know he is...but that doesn't mean he won't get hurt...Daddy I'll die if something happens to him!" You wailed, right as the entrance to your house was opened and closed once again.

"_? _ are you here...?" The worried tone of your favourite amigo sounded around, and your Mum rushed off to go see to him..of course, he'd have none of her shooing.

"_-_?" His voice cracked slightly when he saw you looking so small and distraught. He'd never once seen you in quite a state.

You moved around in your Dad's lap so that you were facing the American teen.

"Alfie..." You murmured, and stood up. "Did you seriously just run all the way here from school?" You wondered, and fixed your shirt a little. Halfway through said unwrinkling, you were yanked into yet another embrace.

"We'll leave you two..." Your parents said as the slipped from the room.

As soon as they were gone, you shoved away and exploded.

"Damnit, Alfred! What the hell is your problem! I know you want to serve your country, and I fucking respect that, but you can't just up and say 'I'm joining the Marines' and expect me to NOT freak out! For fuck's sake, you idiot, my Grandad DIED in war when he was a Marine! What if something happens to you, huh? What if you never come back! What if I never see you again! I wouldn't be able to live without you around!" You wiped furiously at your eyes, and stomped your foot.

"Dumbass." You added for good measure, while your friend stayed still in silence.

"I just..." You sighed. "When are you leaving?"

A pair of blue eyes darted up to stare at you intently, and you held them with your own (e/c) orbs, raising a single curved eyebrow.

"Tomorrow. I was hoping we could spend the night hanging out."

You thought, and you thought hard. Well, schemed would be a better fitting word for the types of things that were going through your head.

"I can't, Al. I have a college culminating to work on, and job applications to fill out. They're due in three days, so I can't spare any time." You looked at the ground, and scraped your toenails on the hardwood floor. "You...should probably go and rest up anyways...I'll...see you later." You bid him the awkward farewell, and floated up to your bedroom, locking the door behind you.

No one was going to disturb you while you were doing this.

Three emails, eight phonecalls, two arguments and one sleepless night later, you had everything set. You'd be leaving five days after Alfred, but you'd both be at the same bootcamp.

"There is no fucking way in ihell/i that you're doing this without me." You hissed at no one in particular, the thought of how awry your plan could go never once crossing your mind.

(To Be Continued For Sure)

**Please review~~ But be nice, I'm not looking for critiques~**


	3. Chapter 2

The morning of your departure, you said goodbye to your parents as usual, acting a little upset at Alfred's leave, but otherwise normal. You hadn't told them about your plan...there was no way they would have let you go if you did.

"I'll see you guys later!" You called as they headed off for work. "In a few months..." You said, once they were in their cars and out of earshot.

You had pre-packed all your needed items, so all you had to do was grab the bag, and wait for your ride.

But you couldn't just...leave. With a sad sigh, you picked up a pen, and a sheet of lined paper.

iDear Mum and Dad,

I'm very, very, very, VERY sorry for this. No, I didn't run away, so no worries...I kind of joined the Marines. I couldn't let Al go alone! I LOVE him! I know you're probably upset, and scared and stuff now, but just ask yourselves this: what if you were in my position? You'd do the exact same thing for one another, i know you would! I have twice as much passion as both of you, though, because I was lucky and got it from each side of the family.

But I wanted to let you guys know that I love you, and I'll hopefully see you within the year.

Love, Love, Love, Love, LOVE, _.

PS, make sure to take care of my rabbits, okay?/i

You set your apology on the kitchen counter just as a knock sounded on the door. You ran over to answer it, unsurprised to be greeted by a nicely-suited man.

"Miss _(f/n)_ _(l/n)_?" He asked, and you nodded.

"Yessir."

He turned on his heels and you followed him out, locking the door behind you.

~~Several Hours Later~~

You squirmed uncomfortably in your seat. You never really enjoyed plane rides, but it was the quickest way to bootcamp, and you weren't going to complain; after all, you'd probably be doing a lot of flying if you managed to stay.

"Alright, recruits." The commander of your group called, and all chatter stopped instantly, attention turned to him. "The next three months are going to be some of the hardest in your young lives. They will also determine if you are cut out to even be here!"

You couldn't help but flinch at the last part. The dread was finally starting to kick in, and you were beginning to realize how stupid this idea was. You had no damn clue what you were doing!

"You will listen to your commanding officers. You will treat them with utmost respect. You will NOT talk back, and you will do at they say without question! But you already knew that." He then looked at his watch. "Prepare yourselves. We'll be landing within the half hour." And with that, he disappeared to the front of the plane.

"Hi!" Someone squawked from beside you, and you turned your head. There was a pretty young woman sitting there, with darker skin, big brown eyes, and hundreds of freckles thrown across her cheeks. You tried to smile, but only ended in failure, causing her to giggle.

"I'm Peeti." She introduced herself, holding her hand out. You shook it, and gulped.

"Uh.._-_. Peeti's a cute name." You said absently, and the woman nodded. "I've been told!"

You adjusted the way she was sitting so that she was partially facing you.

"So, _! What's your story? For joining the Marines, I mean! I joined because my Pops was a Marine, and seeing the way he turned out –such a great man-...well, it really makes me want to serve my country! You know, do some good in the world! At then I can feel useful!" She chirped, and you nodded.

"I..um...well...you see...my best friend, Alfred. He joined the Marines a few days ago...actually, I think he's been planning most of his life for it, but anyways, he told me he was leaving the DAY. BEFORE. Naturally, I was a little ticked off...but I was so scared. I mean I lo-...like him! He's my friend, and friends like each other!" You paused for a moment.

"So...I made a shit ton of calls, got some stuff sorted out, and five days later, I'm here."

Peeti stared at you. "So...you joined for a boy?" She sounded a little disbelieving, and you snorted.

"I joined to make sure an airhead didn't get himself killed...that...and my Grandad was a Marine. I guess it kinda feels good to –hopefully- follow in his footsteps. It's like reliving family history."

Peeti gave you a fond look, and buckled her seatbelt.

"Well, Miss _, you're in for one helluva ride."

It was 10pm (or 22:00, as you'd now have to get used to using), and at the moment, there were still people lingering in the dining hall. You'd been shown your cabins already, and now you'd been told to go eat; it would be the last meal you had until midday tomorrow, so you weren't keen on missing it.

You walked quietly into the room, making sure not to draw any attention, and suddenly someone slapped their hands down on your shoulders. You refrained from screaming when you noticed it was just Peeti.

She wrapped an arm over your shoulders and started tugging you towards the only empty table for the noobs like you...the table...with a blond cowlicked head around it.

"On second thought, I'll eat tomorrow!" You whispered, and started to turn.

"Oh no! I don't care if you're scared to face your friend, _! You'll do it and you'll like it! Now sit. The fuck. Down." And with that, the freckle-faced lady shoved you noisily into a chair. A couple heads turned in acknowledgement, a few people moved closer to start some small talk, but only one person stood up and yanked you outside the building.

"What the ifuck/i are you doing here, _!" Alfred yelled, drawing the attention of a couple beings outside. You shrunk away ever so slightly.

"Well...I pulled some strings and-" You were pushed up against the wall harshly, once again gaining unwanted heads.

"Do you have ANY idea what you've gotten yourself into? God, _, this is ibootcamp!/i It isn't meant to be taken lightly!" He was still lecturing you –not yelling, but still very loud- and he looked kind of...very mad.

You elbowed him off and bristled.

"Listen here, Alfred F Jones!" You shoved your finger in his face. "You're my best fucking friend; the only one I've got, and while I do admire your decision to join the Marines, I...I can't stop picturing you getting hurt! Like my grandpa, or hundreds of other people! I love you, Al, and you're the only person I've got! I'm not going to let you go! I don't care if you're livid, or if you hate me now, but whether you like it or not, I'm here now, and by god, I'm going to STAY here!"

You huffed a couple times, and the pair of you had a staring contest for a couple minutes while the blond processed your words.

"I'm a big boy now, _, I can take care of myself." He growled, and you sank back against the surface behind you with a sigh.

"You might be able to take care of yourself...but I can't. If you die, I die. Al, you give me a reason to keep living...you bring fun into everything, and you show love and compassion to everything and everyone. Without you I'm just...nothing. You're...you're the beating to my heart."

"_..."

You covered your face with your hands. "Oh my fucking god!" You whined, totally and completely embarrassed. "I'm so...cheesy."

Surprisingly, Alfred laughed; a low, seductive noise...even though he had no intention of making it that way. You peered up at him through thick eyelashes, and he leaned forward to kiss your head.

"You, my friend, are the biggest dummy on the planet...but...you love me, so that makes up for it." He slipped a finger under your chin and tilted you face up so he could press his lips down, sweet and tender and gentle.

"Hey you two!"

You jumped apart faster than a bullet from a gun, your faces reddening.

"Knock it off and get to bed; training starts at 05:00."

(To Be Continued For Sure)

**Please review~~ But be nice, I'm not looking for critiques~**


	4. Chapter 3

You were awoken rather horridly the next day. Well, not so much awoken as screamed at, like the other women in your bunkhouse. With a soft groan, you rolled out of bed to the floor, and from there you stood up, already dressed from training.

You'd seen military movies with Al, and though they were probably a shitload different from what you were about to experience, you had a feeling that you wouldn't have time to properly change in the morning.

It seemed that only you, Peeti, and a couple other women had the same idea.

Your Commander marched into the room not thirty seconds after you 'woke up', her gaze sweeping around the room to take a mental note of who was prepared, and who wasn't.

Then her eyes stopped on you, who was already primped and primed and ready to go...complete with a big grin. She strode up to you, and stood not five inches from you.

"Does this bother you, getting your personal space invaded?" She asked, and you stared at her.

"No ma'am." You replied, keeping your shoulders squared, and your expression level. She sunk in closer to you, and locked eyes for several minutes; a glare which you held with equal fire. Finally and huffed.

"Listen up, Worm, don't get sassy with me. I know your story; prissy little college student who practically bought her way here. I don't care why, but I know you aren't cute for this. I'll give it to midday for you to crumble and get send home."

She stepped back just then, and addressed the rest of the quarters.

"You have forty five seconds to be out in the field; if not, points shall be deducted. If you reach zero, you're going home. You start with twenty, and you lose at least five for every mistake you make." She started out of the room, but turned her head back to you.

"You have fifteen."

It took a large amount of willpower not to stomp over and punch her, and you knew that she could see it.

"Alright, you babies, observe and repeat!" You were ordered, and watched closely as another woman demonstrated the obstacle course you'd be running right now; a test of physical knowledge and ability. Luckily, you were a fairly active person, and when you were a kid, Alfred had taught you about all this militia stuff.

Well, as much as a child knows...

"Worm!" You were called forth. "You get to run first, just because you annoy me so much."

She blew a whistle and you shot forward, jumping and delving and rolling, crawling and shimmying and climbing. You tripped several times, and were a little sluggish through some of the setups (particularly the ones with barbed wire), but in the end, you made it through with only a few scratches.

"TOO SLOW!" Was yelled, and you shot a look at the speaker. All the other girls were still hanging back, having not been order to go yet.

"RUN IT AGAIN!"

You rolled your eyes and prepared to do another round, not noticing your best friend and reason-for-being-here watching in awe.

"Commander's going really hard on that one." One of Alfred's new pals muttered. The blond nodded absently. He'd never seen _ act so...tough. He hadn't even known she was in such good physical shape. iShe knows exactly what's ahead of her.../i he thought, letting his head fall to the side slightly.

"Hey! Jones! Are you even listening?"

The blue-eyed man snapped his head sideways, and his buddy snickered.

"Stop marvelling at the chicks, and get moving!"

By 12:00, your muscles were nearly dead. You were dehydrated, and bruised, and sore, and grumpy –not to mention hungry- and you didn't particularly want to be bothered by anyone at the moment.

"Holy shit, _! You're alive!" Peeti squealed, running over to you in the dining hall. You shook a little bit, and slumped in your chair.

"Barely..." You grumbled. "Commander Tightass has some weird issue with me. I think she hates me." You hissed, making sure you were loud enough for your Hellgiver to hear. Her title was actually Commander Tellum, but at the moment, you refused to use it.

"Watch the words that come out of your mouth, _." A warning-filled male voice said in your ear, and you jumped. Alfred made that laugh you loved so much, and took a seat beside you, instantly sucking down any and all food on his plate.

"Apparently, she 's never been that tough on new recruits...ever...so that means she probably likes something about you." He chirped, biting into a spoonful of peas. You wrinkled your nose.

"She has a weird way of showing it, then." You muttered.

Your best friend gave you a one-armed hug and stood to go deposit his tray elsewhere, and Peeti followed his motions shortly after.

"Hang in there, _...everything'll turn out alright." Then she disappeared outside.

You leaned on your palm and sighed.

"I sure fuckin' hope so..."

(To Be Continued For Sure)

**Please review~~ But be nice, I'm not looking for critiques~**


	5. Chapter 4

It had been three weeks since you'd made it to boot camp. Since the day you arrived, almost two thirds of the bunks in your quarters had been cleared out, the people who slept in them not cut out for their job.

It saddened you a little, but at the same time also made your spirits soar; you'd made it this far. Of course it was getting harder, but you were accustomed to the drills now, and the early rising (along with the disgusting way of being woken), and Commander Tellum yelling at you 24/7. Just last evening she'd kept you out four extra hours firing rifles, saying that your form was sloppy and your aim was crap.

You didn't mention that if you were ever going to be planned-shooting someone, then it would be someone higher up, not some noob like you...so if you did ever have to disable another, it would be on a whim, and you'd probably be running.

But no matter.

You sat at your breakfast table, lonely. Most everyone was already out at this hour, as it was nearly 06:00...but oddly enough, you just weren't in any sort of mood to train today. You'd get hell for it later, but for the time being you were content with relaxing and slacking.

Of course, that bubble of thought was burst as soon as it formed in your head.

"WORM! WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU!" A ivery/i enraged voice bellowed out. You quickly tossed all evidence of your laziness away, and ran out of the building to the fields.

"Here ma'am!" You called, toppling to a halt in front of her. She did NOT looked pleased...not in the slightest.

"You're an hour late, Wormy. AN HOUR! If I had my way with you, you'd have been outta here the first day I laid eyes on you!" She screamed, and you clenched your fingers into fists.

"With all due respect, Commander Tellum, I don't give a damn about 'what you would have done'! What i want to know is why the hell do you hate me, huh? We're fighting for the same side; you're supposed to train us, not kill us and send us home in bodybags! You're right; I am some college student who practically bought her way here, but I never damn said I thought it'd be easy! You don't even know my reasons!"

You somewhat heard Peeti trying to hush you, but you were going to speak your mind, even if you got in doodoo.

"Sure, I'm not the strongest kid alive, but look around! I've lasted three damn weeks of your torture; and you know what? I'm going to KEEP surviving, because I have something to ifight/i for!"

The tall blond woman stared at you with a blank expression, before turning on her heels to stalk away.

"Run around the base until your feet bleed, Worm." She ordered, and went to go attend to you other recruits.

Bitch.

~~One Month, One Week Later~~

"It's really dead in here tonight." You observed, kneading your elbow into Peeti's shoulder. She let out a very pleased noise, and curled into your joint, so you pressed hard.

"How did you even pull this muscle..." You grumbled, and your only female friend replied with something along the lines of 'I dunno'.

Suddenly, the door to your cabin burst open, and Alfred ran in.

"_! Peeti! _! Peeti! _! Peeti! _-"

"Al shut up." You complained, covering an ear with your free hand. Your blond BFF continued smiling anyways, and jumped onto the bed beside you.

"Why aren't you guys out picking dresses?" He asked, and both you and the tiny brown girl in front of you tipped your heads sideways in confusion. Dresses? Why the heck would you need dresses?

You spoke this question out loud.

Al looked at you dopily, or like you'd just grown a second head.

"Did I forget to tell you?...I guess I did...oops." He laughed and scratched the back of his head.

"There's a black tie event on Friday...everyone in the camp is invited; it's a relaxation sort of thing, where we get to eat nice food and stuff, but we have to wear our formal uniforms...well, i do. You girls are unlucky, because you have to go through the trouble of picking out dresses."

You pursed your lips.

"It sounds like Prom-For-Marines." You stated, and your friends burst out laughing. Peeti slung an arm over your shoulder, having to stretch to reach from her tiny height.

"It isn't though! Formal gatherings are much more mature, and elegant, and no one grinds each other to bad music." She squeaked, allowing the biggest-of-big-grins to adorn her facial features.

"_, you're lucky I prepared myself for this. And you're lucky I packed two dresses! And you're lucky that we're the same waist size, and chest size, even if we're different heights!" The small freckle-faced woman crossed her arms and puffed out her cheeks.

Al patted you on the shoulder and stood up. "Well, ladies! I'll see you in two days on the dancefloor!"

He laughed, and ran out the door, closing it quite loudly behind him.

You slumped back on your bed and sighed in defeat.

It seemed that you were going to this dressy-thing, whether you liked it or not...

Fuck.

(To Be Continued For Sure)

**Please review~~ But be nice, I'm not looking for critiques~**


	6. Chapter 5

Training was cut short on Friday, ending at 16:00, instead of the usual 21:00. Dinner started three hours after you were let onto break, and the party itself lasted until midnight.

"Peeti, do i have to freaking wear this?" You whined, disliking the dress she's stuffed you in. Sure, it was beautiful, and it definitely accentuated the fact that you were a woman, but for most of your life (minus a few years from your childhood, when you couldn't talk) you wore mud-slicked shorts and Superman T-shirts (courtesy of Al, who gave you a bunch of them so you could match), and you kept your hair nicely messy (though according to your best friend, it always looked good)...and even though you were in your twenties now, you'd never once touched stick of lipgloss.

"_. You look fucking hot! If i wasn't currently married, I'd ask you to dinner." Peeti assured, and went about pulling her shoes on. You pulled a pretty pair of flats from your friends' bag-of-stuff, sat down, and gently slipped them on.

"Are you ready?" The small lady beside you asked, and you ran over to the bathroom mirrors to check yourself again, making sure you didn't look stupid.

Not a single hair was out of place.

"Y-yeah. I think so." You forced out, but in reality, your stomach was being tickled inside from the unhappy feeling of nervous butterflies.

"Let's go!"

You got a peek of your future through the window of the Dining Hall...it was definitely deck out to the max; it was like the place had been completely flipped! No wonder you hadn't been allowed in there for the past day and a half.

"Whoooooah _!" Peeti drawled her words out as soon as the pair of you set foot inside. The spunky brunette made a giddy jump and took in her surroundings. Sadly for you, 'taking in her surroundings' meant 'running up to a guy to ask him to dance...then dragging him to the floor and leaving you to fend for yourself'.

"Thanks, ol' buddy, ol' pal..." You murmured, and began peering about for Alfred.

He was nowhere in sight.

You searched for a good thirty seconds before you gave up, and wandered over to some of his friends.

"You guys seen the blond anywhere?" You questioned, and a couple of them grinned at you.

"I believe he's up to something, but he should be here soon. He said he would be a couple minutes late..." You smiled at the answer and thanked them, turning to leave, but one of them took hold of your hand.

"I can't let a lady be bored. One dance?" One of the nicely-clad fellows raised his eyebrows in a purposefully-humorous manner, and you giggled, placing your hand in his.

"So, any tip on what Alfie's doing?" You egged and started swaying around to the song. The man who held you shook his head.

"Sorry, _. He didn't tell us what he was planning...he just said something about cherries...or something...i think."

Asudden, a hand cut in front of you, and you snapped your head to the side to see your childhood friend...in...formal...dress. You tensed up, concentrating on not squealing...it was as though Alfred knew you loved him...standing there all handsome and grown up...

"You look...very dashing..." You choked out, red spreading from the middle of your nose, out to your ears. You were spun around once, and gradually began moving to the classical beat.

"And you're lookin' mighty fine. I think this is the first time I've ever seen you in a dress." He commented, and you hid your face in his shoulder.

"It's the last time you're seeing me in a dress, even when i get married. I'm going to wear pants!" You decided, then thought out loud. "Actually...I'll probably never get married, mostly because guys look for hoes with fake tits and no morals...so...I'm going to die an old-maid-virgin-lady-thingy..." You groaned and slouched, highly embarrassed by your babbling.

The blond in your arms snickered.

"You're in a weird mood." And you both smiled at each other, though you could have sworn you saw a hint of sad hopelessness flash within blue orbs.

"Hey..._?"

You looked up, and tilted your head to the left.

"D'you wanna go somewhere with me later tonight? I found something cool, and I want to show it to you."

Your mouth arched upwards in a cute little smile, and you nodded. "For sure, dude! I...can change my clothes first though, right?"

~~Later, Around 11:30pm~~

The party was winding down now; some of the recruits had gone back to their bunks to rest up for the next day. You weren't irked at the fact that you had MORE training (you actually rather enjoyed the physical limit-pushing)...it was the 'waking up fucking early' thing that got to you.

But wars had no bedtime, and no Sunrise Rooster. When duty called, you woke and you went, no matter what the time of day.

"_." Alfred called to you, and started tugging you towards the door. "Let's go! But be quiet, I'm not sure if we're supposed to be going where we're going...and by the way, you won't have time to change. Your cabinmates will wonder where you're going."

By this time, the pair of you were halfway across one of the fields, headed towards a line of trees which turned into thick forest shortly after. You grew sceptical...Al's...nature-skills weren't always the greatest. More often than not, whenever you went on forest expeditions, you got lost...unless you remembered to pack a map.

"Alfie..." You warned, making sure he very much knew that you would not be pleased if you went missing, especially in the attire you were currently sporting. He didn't even acknowledge the sound you made; he just kept moving.

After about ten minutes of walking over grass, underbrush, rocks, and through tall, dark conifers, you were allowed to come to a stop in a quaint little moonlit clearing. But it wasn't the moon, or the grass that would be bright green in the day, or the flowers that sprouted up here-and-there...it was the tiniest little cherry tree n the center of it all that drew you closer.

It was the scrawniest thing ever, and it couldn't have been taller than four or five feet...but it had a couple pink flowers here and there, and it was –in your eyes- as magnificent as the giant arbre back at your college.

"Alfred...what's it doing here?" You asked in awe, wandering over to stroke the petals of the rosey fleurs. Al sat on the grass beside the tree, and patted the spot beside him, a spot which you ignored, and instead took his lap.

You were not sitting on the ground in a formal dress. Not in a million years.

"W-well...back at school...there was that big tree? See, almost every couple confessed their love and got together underneath that tree...a few people even got engaged. And...I dunno...I didn't feel like breaking the tradition."

You opened your mouth to ask what he was talking about, but he held up a finger so that you'd let him continue.

"_...you have been my best friend for my entire freaking life; we've done everything together. You've even saved my butt a couple times when I've done stupid things, and for that I thank you." He linked his fingers though yours, and when you didn't pull away, he let it as a sign to finish.

"Two months ago, I joined the Marines...and that day under the tree –from the look on your face before I told you-...you were expecting something else, weren't you...?" Your face pinkened and you looked at the grass, tugging idly at a few earthy strands.

"But then, six days after being in camp, what do I see? You followed me here because you didn't want me to die. And you said something...you are the beating to my heart...and that made me realize that no, I'm not. You're the pulse to imine/i...you iare/i my heart, and I can't live without you...I love you; as more than a friend, as more than a brother, and a neighbour, and a family member..."

He had taken another breath to say more words, but you currently wanted him to shut up.

"Kiss me."

He knew it was an order.

**Please review~~ But be nice, I'm not looking for critiques~**


	7. Chapter 6

It was your last day in bootcamp.

The thought made you a little bit sad...

Though the workout was hell, and the food was not much better, you still liked it; at least here, you knew you wouldn't die. You were safe in America.

You'd gotten your station overseas a couple days previous, and in all honesty, you'd not been too pleased. Back at home, even a few years previous, you'd often watched the news and/or read reports with Alfred.

You were going to Salziza Port(1), a small town overseas that had been at constant war for the past decade. In that time, about two hundred Americans had been sent over to try and calm things down: in total, only fifty had made it back alive, and out of that...none were left unscathed.

Salziza was going to be hell for you, and whether or not you'd be alive to experience one of them...well, that was another matter.

But alas, you had another problem at hand. Alfie was horribly in-tune with events involving his new job, so you had no idea how to break the news of getting your new placement to him.

"So, _! Are you nervous for your new station?" Peeti asked at dinner, the evening before you'd all be flying out. The table to your left buzzed with new faces; new recruits out of university and college. They looked so innocent and happy, regardless of the fact that they'd just been through their first day of training.

"Helloooooo, earth to _! Where'd you get put?" The smaller woman chirped, waving a hand in front of your face. You snapped your attention to her, then peered around the room. Al wasn't in for food yet...so...

You leaned in closer to her.

"I got assigned to Salziza Port." You murmured, and the conversation at the entire table stopped. You peeked up to see each and every one of you fellow trainees gazes' on you, either filled with worry or sadness.

iThat makes me feel completely wonderful.../i You though sarcastically.

"Dudes...c'mon! It's just Salziza Port! Have some faith in me!" You cried, shortly before the sound a plate dropping came from behind you.

You didn't have to turn to know that it was Alfred. Damn.

iWay to find a good time to break it to him, _!/i

The blond briskly picked up his dropped items, salvaging what he could, and he took a seat beside you.

"And here I was...waiting for the perfect timing to break my news to you." He sighed, leaning his head on your shoulder. "It really does seem that wherever one of us goes, the other is sure to follow."

You kissed the top of his head and set your cheek on his hair.

"Mary had a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb..." You sung quietly, attempting to get a bit of a laugh, but none came.

Peeti patted your shoulder and stood up. "We should all head to bed. Tomorrow's a big day..." Then she departed from the room, along with several others. You knew that Peeti was headed to South America at 0400 the next day...so that was likely the last time you'd see her: at least for a while.

"She's right..." You said quietly into your boyfriends' soft blond locks. "We...should get some rest. I-I...I'll see you in the morning." You went about prying yourself free from the loving grasp to go to bed.

It was well past midnight, and you were lying on your back, still awake. You couldn't deny the fact that you were absolutely terrified for later that day. Not knowing what would happen was scaring you.

A quiet sob interrupted your thoughts, however, and you realized the sound was coming from above you: Peeti's bunk?

"Hey...Peeteeeee. You alright up there? Did you have a dream about how hamburger patties are made again?" You questioned, recalling the one and only time that she woke up from a nightmare...about burgers.

You saw her head poke over the side of the mattress. "I'm fine..." She whispered. "I'm just worried for tomorrow."

You sat up. "Yeah..." You agreed. "Me too. But hey; this is what we signed up for, and we're gonna have to be strong and carry on until the end, right?"

There was the springy sound of shifting around, and suddenly your small brunette friend hopped down.

She sniffled.

"I don't want to be alone tonight, 'kay?" You didn't have to say anything for her to know that it was alright; she simply wriggled in beside you under your blankets. She was warm.

"G'night, Peeti." You murmured, closing your eyes as a tear silently rolled down your cheek.

You woke up the next day and –as expected- your best female friend wasn't beside you anymore. You sighed and sat up; it was still dark out, so you knew that it wasn't time to leave yet...but there was no harm in getting ready early.

A few days previous you'd been given your uniform –thicker and more durable than your training clothes- so you pulled it on, marvelling slightly at its warmth.

All your other items were packed up already.

"I guess I should go see if there's food." You said to yourself, alone in the entire space of your cabin.

iI'm gonna need it./i

"Good morning." You greeted the only person in the cafeteria, without actually seeing who they were. It didn't matter to you at the moment; it was simply a human life form that you wouldn't get to say hello to for the next year.

"You're up ahead of schedule." The woman replied, and you recognized the voice as none other than the Commander that made your bootcamp days hellish.

You smiled fondly.

"Well, I might as well be prepared for what's to come later today. I don't wanna be groggy in Salziza Port; that could land me with a bullet in the head."

Commander Tellum chuckled. "Why are you being so open with me, Worm?" She questioned, and you shrugged, grabbing a plate filled with foods. You went over and sat a few chairs from her.

"Why not?" You shot back. "After all, even though you feigned hating me this entire time, I know you really don't." You decided, causing the dark-haired woman to startle. She ran a hand through her spiky locks, a sad grin on her features.

"What makes you say that?"

"Because, Tellum, if you hated me, then you wouldn't have put so much energy into pushing me to my limits. I honestly thought I'd die here, but I think –in a way- your toughass ways gave me hope, and a will to keep going."

The alarm signifying it was time for everyone else in camp to awaken sounded, and your friend-not-friend stood.

"Be careful in Salziza, _. If you die, I'll kill you."

Then she walked out to go meet with everyone else.

"Are you nervous?" Alfred asked as the pair of you approached your plane, along with a few others. You pressed your lips into a tight O.

"About flying overseas, or about Salziza Port?" You wondered.

"Both."

"Yep."

You'd be taking the small aircraft most of the way across the ocean. You were landing on a large aircraft carrier, and then you'd be travelling by boat to your final destination. You didn't even know where said plane-holding boat iwas/i.

"Hey, _. C'mon, we need to get in the jet." Your boyfriend reminded you, snapping you from your thoughts. You nodded and made a quiet noise, then followed him into the belly of the small metal beast.

**So sorry for not posting in forever...I've had these chapters written and done for months...oops ^^U**


	8. Chapter 7

**This chapter is going to be formatted a little differently than the others...and it will probably be a great deal longer. It first is at the Prologue, which is now 'present time' for dear Reader-Tan...well, if I explain the whole thing, this will be a long author's note...**

**Enjoy, and please comment!**

[Breaking Bullets, Chapter Seven]

bPresent Time.

Location: Unknown – Somewhere about five and a half miles inland from Salziza Port

Time: 1430/b

You couldn't really feel your body, but at the same time you could. The unpleasant feeling of numbing cold was taking hold of your fingers...toes...various other parts of your body, and it seemed that an overwhelming burning was starting to center around your midsection.

You lolled your head upwards so that you were staring at the sun. It was very bright, but brought a sweet sense of safety to your mind, like when you were back home with your family, and your best friend.

The much-welcomed flashback of when you were a child took over your mind, and filled you with happiness, along with your highschool years; prom, skipping out of classes, ding dong ditching people, trick or treating (even though you had been far too old)...then along came the unwanted scene.

The day your best friend, Alfred, told you he was enlisting in the Marines. The familiar sense of fear suddenly gripped at your entire being, and a painful scream tore itself forth from the depths of your lungs, bringing you back to reality...fuzzy reality.

Slowly, slowly, slowly you crept your hand downwards to your stomach, just below your ribcage, and drew it to the front of your face, where a drop or two of red fell onto your cheek.

Your let your arm drop to your side with a dull thud. Cold had almost taken over now...the wonderful warmth called life seeping out through the bullethole in your flesh.

But it had been for a good cause...you'd keep your Alfred safe, even if it meant losing your life in the process...

bTime: 1200

Location: One mile off Salziza Port.

/b

You stared nervously at the men and women around you. Only three of them (yourself and Alfred included) were from your bootcamp; the others were older officers, all with more experience and training than you.

You could still see the unease written all over their faces, and none of them tried to hide it.

There would be no lying about the terror of the place you were all headed – Hell On Earth, the Media once named it.

"Hey."

You turned your head to look at your boyfriend, who leaned forward to kiss you sweetly.

"We'll be okay." He murmured gently, making you almost-melt. The only time he'd ever talked to you in such a way was when he'd had it in his head that you were dying, even though you'd just had the flu and a fever.

You buried your face in the crook of his neck, closing your eyes and breathing in his scent.

"I know." You replied. "But just in case...I love you. So much."

You sat like that for the rest of the boat ride; you hiding in his collarbone, his chin perched on top of your head, and uncountable saddened gazes fixated on your loving embrace.

bTime: 1230

Location: Just landing at Salziza Port.

No enemies in sight./b

You'd jumped off the good-sized metal watercraft and almost fallen over due to wobbly legs: you'd steadied eventually.

"I know we went over this on the flight, and on the boat, but listen up militia personnel!" Your commanding officer said to you, knowing that you'd all be listening anyways.

"Base is seven miles east from here: in one mile, our radios will not be able to contact anything but each other, so stay alert and don't fire unless necessary. We don't need any unwanted visitors. Stay together, and if you need to get out, don't leave anyone behind: am I clear?" He called, and a strong chorus of 'Yes Sir's sounded off, carrying out into the waves of the dark blue ocean.

You took Alfred's hand and pulled him along, your fingertips barely touching.

bTime: 1330

Location: Four and a half Miles inland.

Uneasy. No enemies in sight./b

You had a wretched feeling in the pit of your stomach. You kept assuring yourself it was just nerves getting to you, and the level of adrenaline flowing through you...but at the same time, some sixth sense told you that there was something else...isomeone/i else...around...

"Alfred..." You whispered, leaning over towards him. He make a nearly-silent noise to show he was listening.

"Something is...wrong..." Your voice quivered when you squeaked the words out, and he turned his face to you, worry momentarily flashing in his bright blue eyes.

"What makes you say that?" He kept his voice low. "There's no one around but us right now...it's alright, _. I'll keep you safe."

You nodded, swallowing the tight, sick lump in your throat. You could feel your hands shaking, and the warmth seeping out of your fingertips...

You glanced to your left, where nothing but a forest of dead, leafless trees stood, crowded by dry, cracking dust. No...something wasn't right.

Quaking, you slung the sniper gun from your shoulder, turned around, and fired...then a man fell to the ground: and he wasn't one of your own.

The entire squad had turned around to stare at you, and a couple ventured over to the dead human.

"Enemy." One of them called, followed by a grunt of pain as a bullet tore through his forearm.

Weapons were ripped from shoulders, backpacks, pockets...ieverywhere/i... as unfriendly troops jumped out from behind trees and surged towards your group.

Gunshots went off.

Screams were let loose from throats...

...blood was spilled...

Everything blurred together into one, huge, confusing scene of noise, death and destruction.

You turned around and around looking for a blond head.

But found none.

"A-Alfred...!" You cried, no louder than a rasp.

"Can it, girl!" A heavily accented voice snarled, knocking the Sniper gun from your hands. You could see him pulling a simple shotgun from a pouch on his side, so you did the only thing that came to your mind: pulled a knife from your boot and saved yourself.

"C'mon, Commander, let's go...we can make it to where the radiowaves can reach! We can!" You heard the snippet of words. Tears fell from your eyes, staining your cheeks, as you tossed the very-much-un-alive man aside...that was the second person you killed today...

By the looks of things, your men were doing...not so well. A few of them were fighting feebly against the enemy, who also lost aplenty troops...but you knew that if you didn't get out of there, you'd be dead too.

You ran silently after Alfred and your Commander.

"A-Al..." You sobbed, hopping breathlessly up behind him.

There was a person on his back (whom you recognized as your Higher Officer) and it looked like he was bleeding heavily from his leg.

Very heavily.

"Alfred." You squawked.

"Alfred."

" Alfred Foster Jones (1), listen to me goddamnit!" You burst out, knowing that he was paying attention now. Around you, the forest had gone silent, and the sounds of fighting had ceased...

"Al, we need to stop and wrap him up before moving. He's bleeding out as we speak. At least if we slow the bloodflow, one of us can run ahead to base and fetch reinforcements and medical attention!"

The taller marine semi-reluctantly set the other man down against a tree, and pulled out what remained of his Treatment Kit.

Blood dripped off his chin from a scratch on his cheek.

You only stared at it a moment before he held out a wad of gauze. "Here." He murmured seriously. "Take it, and don't remove the pressure. Make sure he stays conscious."

But you kept your hands at your sides before standing up.

"I'm going to base, Al. I suck at medical crap. I'm faster than you. I have a better directional sense than you. You won't break down crying if you're here with him."

A bout of rather close gunshots popped out of nowhere, whistling by your suddenly-rigid bodies. You threw the knife in your hand and hit the remaining firer square in the chest, knocking him backwards and taking his life along for the ride.

You leant down and kissed the forehead of the now-silent blond.

"I love you." You told him, pulling back. "I love you so, so, much; with all my he-" He cut you off with a hard, passionate kiss: filled with teeth, tongues, blood and tears.

"Be careful..." He squeezed your wrist almost painfully. "For the love of god, _, be careful."

You nodded once and took off running.

bTime: 1400

Location: Five and a Half miles inland. Half a mile from Base. /b

Your steps had grown sluggish, and you'd tumbled against trees several times to heave any liquid in your stomach up.

Unfortunately, that liquid had been blood.

Just a few minutes ago, after the wearing-off of your adrenaline rush, pain that had been numbed by your body's self-sent-out chemical made itself known...along with the shot wounds in your midsection and side.

You'd barely registered it when you saw the thick, red substance soaking through your uniform.

You were dizzy...and your legs were Jell-O...and you could feel your heart pounding inside your skull.

"Surely I have to be...close to base...now..." You mumbled incoherently to anyone but you.

You pulled the small pocket radio out and searched the frequency that would reach base.

"Station 1328...this is Squadron 87...over..." You buzzed in, sinking to your knees. Stirring dirt up. There was a short break in the forest where you were: the hot afternoon sun beating down on your weakening form.

"Bzzt...Squadron 87, Station 1328 speaking. Over."

You laughed when you received the scratchy sound and rumble of the tiny machine.

"_(Full Name)_ of...Sq-Squad 8...7...speaking. Ambush four and a half miles...inland. Unknown if there are survivors from that...the Commander and another soldier –Alfred Jones- about a quarter mile past that. Commander got...shot. I ran ahead to find everyone..." You coughed for what seemed like forever, and flopped down onto your back, the radio falling from your hand.

"_. Speak!...over."

You giggled and rolled onto your side, lightheaded and dopey.

You grabbed the mechanism and pulled it close.

"Save them..." You whispered. "'S too late...for me...I can't feel my body..."

bPresent Time.

Location: Unknown – Somewhere about five and a half miles inland.

Time: 1430/b

You couldn't really feel your body, but at the same time you could. The unpleasant feeling of numbing cold was taking hold of your fingers...toes...various other parts, and it seemed that an overwhelming burning was starting to center around your midsection.

You lolled your head upwards so that you were staring at the sun. It was very bright, but brought a sweet sense of safety to your mind, like when you were back home with your family, and your best friend.

The much-welcomed flashback of when you were a child took over your mind, and filled you with happiness, along with your highschool years; prom, skipping out of classes, ding dong ditching people, trick or treating (even though you had been far too old)...then along came the unwanted scene.

The day your best friend, Alfred, told you he was enlisting in the Marines. The familiar sense of fear suddenly gripped at your entire being, and a painful scream tore itself forth from the depths of your lungs, bringing you back to reality...fuzzy reality.

Slowly, slowly, slowly you crept your hand downwards to your stomach, just below your ribcage, and drew it to the front of your face, where a drop or two of red fell onto your cheek.

Your let your arm drop to your side with a dull thud. Cold had almost taken over now...the wonderful warmth called life seeping out through the bullethole in your flesh.

But it had been for a good cause...you'd keep your Alfred safe, even if it meant losing your life in the process...

Alfie was safe...

"He's safe..." You whispered within an inch of life. "It's all that...matters..."

Your eyes drooped shut.


	9. Epilogue

There was heavy pressure on your chest...that much you know. It was the only thing you knew. But whatever that pulse was, it was keeping you from taking a nap...a nap you so badly wanted; it would calm your aching muscles, and soothe your entire being.

Your lungs inflated against your will, followed by more pressure on your ribcage.

The sweet, lovely darkness faded away, only to be replaced by a violently blue sky, and harsh sunlight on your face. You spluttered and coughed when you remembered you needed to breathe in order to keep functioning: doing so made such horrendous pains travel up your side – so bad that a keening scream heaved itself out of your lungs.

"Ssh...ssh..." Someone cooed, laying something cool and slightly rough against your cheek. You opened your eyes bigger than slits to see a familiar woman on her knees over you.

"Commander...Tight...Ass..." You choked out, blood filling the back of your throat. She gave you a look that said 'I'll bust you for that later', but helped you onto your side so you could spit the red out of your mouth.

"Goddamnit, kid. You really are a fucking handful." She sighed, and you rolled away, tensing up once again at the searing on your side.

"I-I want to go home..." You sobbed. "I want to go home. I want to go home and eat a fucking plate of burgers, and watch movies and sleep in my own bed and NOT get shot and I want Alfred..." You sniffled, and Commander Tellum placed your head in her lap.

"Wh-where is Alfie? He's okay, right? And what about my other Commander...he took a bullet to the thigh...is he okay? What about everyone else; how many people died? Did you find my gun? What about my knife? And how about-"

Tellum placed a hand over your mouth.

"For a kid who just woke up after her heart was stopped for nearly two minutes..." She made a tiny braid in your hair. "You sure talk a lot."

You smiled faintly.

"Commander's fine...the medics got there...they're coming back to get us now. The blond kid that you're infatuated with is fine too...somewhat. I could hear him hyperventilating over the radio when he found out you were dead-"

You took a quick, sharp intake of air.

"iDead/i." You squeaked. "iDead/i!"

The dark-haired woman nodded slowly. "I told you: your heart stopped for two minutes. Took that damn long to bring you back."

You laid back against her lower stomach, shaking. Alfred thought you were dead. He thought you were idead/i...you HAD died, for a little while...and you'd promised him you'd be careful.

"He's going to murder me.." You mumbled. "I said I wouldn't get hurt..."

Right then, frantic, uneven footsteps could be heard off in the distance.

You smiled. "Tellum...tell him I'm fine, 'kay? I'm...gonna take a sleep..." You closed your eyes and dozed off.

The next time you awoke, you were in a dimly-lit hospital room...well, the lights were lowered for sleeping, which probably meant it was nighttime.

You rolled around a bit, still amazingly exhausted, to take in the rest of your surroundings. Doing so, you moved away from something roasty –only realizing because of the coolness suddenly flowing over your hand.

You peeked to your right to see Alfred asleep at the edge of your bed: blood dried in the tips of his hair, still in his uniform, and unshaven. The only thing he'd seemed to manage to do before snoozing was take off his glasses and set them aside.

You smiled fondly at him and touched the side of his face...scruffy. You'd have to tell him to clean up.

"Al..." You whispered. "AAAllllll. Psst." You poked his nose repeatedly, until he started stretching slightly as he woke.

"Aaaalllllfreeeeed..." You drawled, finally getting him to open his bright blue eyes...which were unusually dull. You pinched his cheek.

"C'mon, stupid, wake up. Your face is scratchy, and I don't care if it's too early in the morning; go shave!" You demanded playfully.

"_-_...you're...awake..." He squeaked in disbelief. "You're awake! Oh god you're...awake..." He dove forward noisily and buried his face in your neck, not even bothering to hide the moist drops falling from his eyes onto your skin.

You tensed up...he was clingy at times, sure, but the only time you'd ever seen him cry was when he was a little kid and wasn't able to watch Fireworks on July 4th because he was really ill.

"A-Al..." You squeaked, hesitantly petting the back of his head. "I-It's okay! I'm fine!"

He only pulled you closer, as if letting you go would make you disappear.

"When the medics buzzed in to Tellum...she said you were dead...and when I got to her, you were just laying there all still and stuff..." He wriggled around so that he was on his side, still hiding under your chin. "I was so scared that you really were gone...but then Tellum said that she restarted your heart, and I was really happy...but then..."

He choked off, sobbing quietly. You could even feel him shaking.

"Al..." You squeaked, rather startled by the display he was showing.

"There were so many blood transfusions, and a couple operations...you've been unconscious for a week, and you weren't giving much response to anything...the doctors didn't think you'd wake up."

Your eyes widened. They didn't think you'd wake up?

"But...it was just a shot to the stomach...yeah, it hurt like fuck, and I was bleeding everywhere...but I didn't think it could be that serious..." You murmured.

Your blond boyfriend finally looked up to you.

"The blood crowded your heart, and a bunch of other crap happened...and...I don't know! I'm just glad you're awake!" He stretched up and kissed you gently, but passionately.

You didn't care if he was fuzzy around the chin, or if he had various things stuck to the tips of his hair, or that he probably hadn't brushed his teeth either...you pressed back just as lovingly.

"I love you..." You whispered, pulling away so you could stare at him.

Blue eyes met _(e/c)_ ones. "I love you too, _. With all my heart. No amount of bullets in your flesh or mine can ever break that."

**Cheesy ending is cheesy.**


End file.
